The Ten Best Dance Performances of 2009

Mark Morris’s “Empire Garden,” with music by Charles Ives, performed by Emanuel Ax, Colin Jacobsen, and Yo-Yo Ma, at the Mostly Mozart Festival at Lincoln Center.

Christopher Williams’s “The Golden Legend,” at Dance Theater Workshop.

Lucinda Childs’s revival of her 1979 “Dance,” with films by Sol LeWitt and music by Philip Glass, at Bard Summerscape.

Trisha Brown’s entire April/May concert at the Brooklyn Academy of Music: “Planes,” “Glacial Decoy,” “O zlozony/O composite,” and “L’Amour au théâtre.”

Karole Armitage’s revival of her 1985 “Watteau Duets,” at The Kitchen.

Natalia Osipova, in “Giselle,” at American Ballet Theatre.

Patricia Delgado, in Balanchine’s “Square Dance,” for Miami City Ballet.

Nikolaj Hübbe, in his farewell concert at New York City Ballet, especially “Western Symphony.”

Tiler Peck, in her every appearance at New York City Ballet.

Mark Dendy’s “Afternoon of the Faunes,” performed at Fall for Dance by Lonnie Poupard, Jr. and Alex Deane Speedie.